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Message: <blockquote data-quote="FireLance" data-source="post: 2330567" data-attributes="member: 3424">You know, I've kind of lost the point of this thread, so I thought I'd just post my thoughts on the issue again.I acknowledge that by the Rules As Written, a lance is a two-handed weapon that can be used in one hand while mounted, and still get 1.5 x Strength bonus and 2 x Power Attack.What I do not agree with is the assertion that a lance "needs" to get 1.5 x Strength bonus and 2 x Power Attack in order to quantify, in game terms, its effectiveness in mounted combat. The lance already has one great advantage: it deals double damage in a mounted charge.Even if it "only" gets 1 x Strength bonus and 1 x Power Attack, like any other one-handed weapon, it still deals more damage than any other one-handed weapon in a mounted charge.The damage for a lance used one handed in a mounted charge would be 2d8+2x(damage bonus). With Spirited Charge, it would increase to 3d8+3x(damage bonus).Even bastard swords or dwarven waraxes, which deal the "best" base damage of all other one-handed weapons, only deal 1d10+damage bonus on a mounted charge, or 2d10+2x(damage bonus) with Spirited Charge.The advantage of using a lance one-handed, or any other one-handed weapon, is that you can also use a shield. If you decide to forgo the use of a shield, you can use a two-handed weapon, or you can use a lance two-handed.The damage for a lance used two-handed in a mounted charge would be 2d8+2x(1.5xStr + 2xPA + other damage bonuses), or 3d8+3x(1.5xStr + 2xPA + other damage bonuses) with Spirited Charge.Even a greatsword, which deals the "best" base damage for two-handed weapons in the core rules, only deals 2d6+(1.5xStr + 2xPA + other damage bonuses) in a mounted charge, or 4d6+2x(1.5xStr + 2xPA + other damage bonuses) with Spirited Charge.Admittedly, the average base damage of a greatsword used in a Spirited Charge is half a point higher than the average base damage of a lance, but even if the wielder has a single point of damage bonus, the advantage shifts back to the lance.As to whether it is possible to use a lance with two hands when mounted, the Rules As Written say, "While mounted, you can wield a lance with one hand." (emphasis mine). Not "you must wield" or even "you wield", which implies that the wielder has a choice whether or not he wishes to use it in two hands (as he would have to if he was on foot).In addition, the Rules As Written also do not say that you take a penalty to attack rolls if you use a lance in two hands while mounted. This is as much a house rule as my house rule that a lance used in one hand while mounted only gets 1 x Strength bonus and 1 x Power Attack.</blockquote>

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